


Keepsake

by fandomtrashpanda



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon Compliant, Gen, Hunk & Lance (Voltron) Friendship, Hunk (Voltron)-centric, Hunk doesn't get enough love as an individual character, LET! HUNK! HAVE! EMOTIONAL! DEPTH!, Pre-Canon, Samoan Hunk (Voltron), better safe than sorry, i have decided to remedy that, is this angst?, should i tag this as angst?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-27
Updated: 2018-01-27
Packaged: 2019-03-09 13:29:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13482465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomtrashpanda/pseuds/fandomtrashpanda
Summary: Hunk never takes off his headband because it's the last piece of Samoa he has.*set before and during the events of the show*





	Keepsake

**Author's Note:**

> so, i saw this post about how Hunk doesn't get as much attention as everyone else, and i was like "that is an excellent point and simply will not do". 
> 
> like, Hunk is SO MUCH MORE than jokes about food. he's absolutely brilliant as an engineer, and i've wondered a lot how he could be so afraid of flying and yet he still wound up at the Garrison. 
> 
> not to mention, i've always wondered about that headband. he never takes it off, and he seems sentimental enough to wear something like that for more than the #aesthetic.
> 
> so, prepare yourself to be subjected to all of my feelings for my dearest Hufflepuff son.

Hunk wasn’t expecting it, the letter that he gripped in his hands as he sat on the edge of the docks. He had read and reread the words printed on it, unfolding and refolding it so many times that it was already almost falling apart at the creases, even though he hadn’t even had it for a whole week. 

“Hunk!” He jumped in surprise and looked over his shoulder, smiling at the woman striding towards him.

“Hey, Tina,” he said, quickly tucking the letter into his vest. 

“What are you doing out here, silly?” She asked, sitting down next to him and tousling his hair. 

“I just… wanted to think,” he said casually.

“You spend enough time doing that!” She laughed, nudging him with her elbow. “Come on, Penny’s missed you!” 

“I saw her two days ago!” He laughed. After a beat of silence he added, “But yeah, I’ve missed her too.” When he went back to being quiet Tina eyed him for a moment, her smile flickering.  


“Mom and dad showed me your science project,” she said casually, “it was really impressive.” She looked at him and said, “I think dad is more proud of that trophy than you are.” Hunk huffed out a small laugh. “Hunk, what’s going on?” She asked him. “You should be proud - you won first place in an international competition for that… thing you made.” He opened his mouth and she held up her hand to stop him, declaring, “Don’t speak your language, brother, I won’t understand.” She paused and then added for dramatic effect, “But Penny would love to hear it.”

“Are you really trying so hard to bum your daughter off onto me?” He asked with a small chuckle. 

“Are you really trying so hard to avoid the subject?” She asked. “Mom and dad are too wrapped in the shop to notice that something more is going on. You were so proud and excited for the first week after winning that contest… what changed?” Her voice gradually softened as she put her hand on his shoulder. Hunk glanced at her out of the corner of his eye before he huffed out a small sigh and reached into his vest, pulling out the paper and handing it to her. 

“I got that in the mail last week,” he said, sounding more resigned than anything else as Tina unfolded it and began to read, her eyes growing wide as she scanned over the words.

“The Galaxy Garrison?” She wheezed, her eyes snapping to look at him. “You applied to the _Galaxy Garrison_?” 

“No! That’s why I’m so confused!” He exclaimed, throwing his hands up in frustration. “Apparently they had a scout at that stupid convention! He saw my project and -”

“-Hunk, they’re offering you a full scholarship!” Tina exclaimed, grabbing his arm with one hand as she held the other in front of her face with shaky fingers. “They’re offering to pay your travel expenses and everything!” She spun her wild eyes to him and demanded, “Have you called them yet?”

“Wait, ‘yet’?” Hunk parroted, looking at her confusedly. “I haven’t called them at all.”

“What?” She squawked, “Hunk, it says that the deadline is in two weeks!” She let go of his arm to tap the paper. 

“I - I don’t know if I should go,” he confessed, his shoulders slumping forward. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and averted his gaze when he saw her gaping at him in disbelief. “It’s just that - the garage can get really busy around this time of year, and grandma isn’t doing so well. I looked at the schedule and I’d have to leave on Penny’s birthday, and I can’t do that to her - _ow_!” He stopped and jerked away when Tina slapped his arm. “Tina! What was that for?” 

“For being stupid!” She yelled, waving the folded paper in his face. “You are being offered an opportunity that hundreds of people have only dreamed of, and you’re thinking of just - _passing_ on it?”

“Tina, I don’t think -”

“You aren’t thinking at all if you’re considering giving up on this!” She snapped, smacking the back of his head with the paper. “Hunk, you are _brilliant_ ,” she sounded desperate, shifting so that she was on her knees next to him, “and you are wasting your potential by just working in the family garage! You can do all kinds of amazing things with that brain of yours!”

“The Galaxy Garrison prepares space explorers! I’m terrified of heights, how am I supposed to prepare to go into space?” He asked, gesturing at the sky. “That’s even assuming I survive the flight to America-!” 

“You are a _Garrett_!” She snapped, swatting his shoulder with the back of her hand. “You’re made of tougher stuff than that!” 

“What if I don’t make it?” He asked, “What if I get there and everything goes terrible? What if I don’t make any friends -”

“Are you kidding?” She interrupted him. “You must be joking! Hunk, you are a delight,” she set the paper aside to take his face in her hands. “You are kind and generous, devoted, and loyal. With a wicked sense of humor,” she lightly jabbed him with her elbow and a small smile. “And you have the Garrett-sixth sense! You’ll be able to pick out the best kinds of friends at a glance! And nobody will be able to resist you!” She squeezed his face to smoosh his cheeks, making him blush and swat her hands away. “Hunk, the Galaxy Garrison wants that brain of yours for a reason,” she insisted gently, picking up the paper to tap him on the head with it once more. 

“Tina, I can’t -”

“But you can, Hunk!” She insisted, watching as he scrambled to stand up. “You can do anything!” 

“Why does everybody keep saying that?” He groaned with frustration, throwing his hands up while looking at the sky. “Everyone keeps telling me that I can do anything, but I don’t feel like it. All I want is to build stuff -”

“I’ve seen you in school,” she said, standing up and drawing herself to her full height, tilting his chin so he would look at her, “the only thing that frustrates you more than a project you’re serious about is how much smarter you are than everyone. You are being stifled in the school’s here! The Galaxy Garrison could actually give you the kind of environment where you can thrive -!”

“Maybe I don’t want that environment, Tina, maybe I like the environment right here,” he said, crossing his arms, but making no other move. 

“Hunk, what are you afraid of -?” She began to yell.

“I don’t want to leave home!” He yelled back, surprising her into silence. “The Galaxy Garrison is in America! On the opposite side of the world!” He exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. “Yeah, it takes kids from all over the world, but I really doubt they’ll have anyone from the South Pacific, much less Samoa,” he paused to gesture behind him. “I’m terrified that I’ll get so swept up in everything there that I’ll forget home,” he mumbled, his shoulders slumping. “If I’m so far away, what if you guys forget me - _ow_! Tina!” He yelped, stepping away while clutching the back of his head. 

“For someone who’s so smart, you’re really stupid,” she seethed, poking his chest. “You are the baby of the family, Hunk. We all love you, and we would miss you dearly. But above all else, we want to see you in an environment where you can reach your full potential,” she tucked the letter into his vest and patted his shoulders. “You would make the Garrett family proud,” she whispered, keeping her hands on his shoulders, "even more proud than we already are." 

“I’m scared, Tina,” he mumbled, hanging his head. “I don’t know if I could do it, I - I’d miss home too much. Even if you guys don’t forget me, what if I forget about you? You know how I get when I’m swept up in one of my projects!” 

“You won’t forget home.”

“How do you know that -?” He stopped when he felt something ruffling his hair. “Wha -?” He lifted his head and saw that Tina had removed the orange headband she always wore to keep her thick, dark curls out of her face and started tugging it over his head. “Tina?” He mumbled, raising his hand to touch the fabric that she had settled around his crown, tugging on the ends of his hair to make it sit right. 

“You won’t forget home,” she repeated, patting his chest as she smiled affectionately at him. 

“You’re headband,” he said dumbly, pulling the ends of it over his shoulder to play with the frayed edges; it was so well-worn that the knot on the back of it couldn’t be undone or adjusted, and yet it fit around his head perfectly. “You’ve had this thing for years,” he stated, staring down at the orange fabric as he rubbed it between his fingers. 

“It’s a good color for you,” she said. Hunk’s eyes started watering, the emotion thickening his throat. “You can change the world with that brain of yours, Hunk,” she whispered as he squeezed his eyes shut, a few tears slipping down his cheeks. “If you can get over your motion sickness and fear of flying, I bet you could change the universe, too,” she continued with a playful tone while wiping away a few of his tears. 

“You really think I can do it?” He croaked. 

“Yes,” she responded firmly without a moment’s hesitation. “Hunk, I want you to wear this, not only for yourself, but for me - for your family,” she said, tugging on the headband.

“I don’t get it,” he sniffed, toying with the ends of the headband again.

“You can wear it so you don’t forget us, but I’ll also feel better knowing that you’ll have a little piece of Samoa with you,” she smiled at him. He let out another hiccup and yanked his sister into a hug, sobbing against her shoulder. 

 

X-O-X

 

“Hunk?” Hunk looked up when he heard his name and smiled weakly at Lance. 

“Hey, buddy,” he mumbled, before turning his gaze back to the far reaches of space, stretching out beyond the castle windows. 

“What’re you doing out here? Usually you’re out like a light right now,” he asked gently, sitting down beside him. 

“I couldn’t sleep,” he said with a shrug.

“Okay, what’s wrong?” Lance demanded, looking at Hunk out of the corner of his eye. “Whenever you can’t sleep you either cook or work on one of your projects. You hate staring out at space,” he said, gesturing out the window. 

“Yeah, I know,” he chuckled bitterly while shaking his head. “I just… you do it whenever you get homesick, so I figured I could give it a shot.” 

“Space doesn’t remind you of home, that’s why you cook,” he said, putting his hand on Hunk’s shoulder. Hunk smiled at him and put his hand on top of his. 

“Y’know, I originally didn’t want to go to the Garrison?” Hunk said after a moment of silence.

“No?” Lance looked surprised, "You've told me a lot, but you never mentioned that." 

“Nah,” he shook his head, tugging the ends of his headband over his shoulders to toy with the ends. “My big sister is the one who convinced me.” 

“Tina, right?” Hunk chuckled and nodded. 

“Yeah,” he murmured, his voice thick, “Tina.” 

There was a beat of silence before Lance quietly asked, “What’s the day?” 

“Her birthday,” he said, getting choked up, "I'm really starting to wish Pidge never made that Earth calendar."

"Yeah, it really doesn't help," he muttered.

“Y’know my sister gave me this?” Hunk started, waving the ends of the headband at him. “She’d had this thing for years, never took it off. She had - _has_ \- as much hair as Allura, but twice as thick, and this thing was the only thing keeping that mess in check. When I told her I was scared to leave Samoa she gave it to me, saying she wanted me to have a piece of home -” he choked on a sob and squeezed his eyes shut, hanging his head. 

“Hunk…” Lance sighed, shifting over to drape himself over Hunk’s shoulders. 

“I didn’t want to leave Samoa,” he began to babble, “because of the distance. The Galaxy Garrison was in the central US, almost the exact opposite side of the planet. Video calls were nearly impossible to do, I never saw my niece because it was always passed her bedtime or she was at daycare -” 

“Let it all out, man,” he murmured pulling Hunk into a hug, rubbing his back as Hunk held onto him tightly.

“And now I can't even do _that_!" He wailed, slumping against Lance when he wrapped his arms around his shoulders. "I left on my niece’s _fifth birthday_ ,” Hunk sobbed against his shoulder, returning Lance's embrace. 

“I know, buddy, I know it hurts,” Lance continued, starting to rock Hunk gently. 

“How do you deal with this?” Hunk demanded, pulling away and looking at Lance with tears dripping down his cheeks and snot dribbling out of his nose. “You’re family is _five times_ the size of mine, you have dozens of birthdays and holidays and anniversaries that you’re missing, _how do you deal with this_?” 

Lance smiled bitterly and said, “Practice.” 

“Lance,” Hunk’s voice cracked when he said, “I wanna go home.”

“I know, buddy - me too,” he sighed, pulling him into another hug, rubbing his back as he murmured, “me too…”

**Author's Note:**

> on one hand, i want to resolve this. on the other hand, i don't know how. if inspiration ever strikes me i'll make a chapter two, but we'd best assume that's not gonna happen.
> 
> btw, i have a [tumblr](https://fandomtrashpanda.tumblr.com/)


End file.
